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The BԪַColwood CrawlBԪַ doesnBԪַt go through Colwood

Former Mayor Carol Hamilton says the nickname stuck because it is catchy
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The Colwood Crawl stretches into the distance, as seen from the Helmcken Road overpass in View Royal. (Gazette file photo)

YouBԪַve been there. Waiting in traffic for what feels like ages to get in and out of Victoria on the Trans-Canada Highway.

The phenomenon is referred to as the BԪַColwood Crawl,BԪַ but it doesnBԪַt actually run through Colwood.

Former Colwood Mayor Carol Hamilton said she thinks the term was coined around 2009 and stuck around because itBԪַs one of the more catchy nicknames for the traffic snarl that keeps people waiting in their cars for close to an hour most days.

BԪַIt rolled a bit easier than what we like to refer to as the Malahat Mess, the Langford Languish, the Saanich Snarl, the View Royal Vortex BԪַ they settled on the Colwood Crawl,BԪַ Hamilton said.

READ MORE: View Royal mayor calls for region and province to meet about transportation issues

Hamilton noted her work with the Ministry of Transportation and Infrastructure in the past years has identified that the traffic issue isnBԪַt directly in Colwood. She said it has just become one of those terms that will be hard to shake until transportation isnBԪַt a problem anymore.

Hamilton said a lot of the traffic problems start before Langford and continue on due to various issues such as overpass lanes that drivers use to skirt around traffic, or points of converging traffic.

And while the highway doesnBԪַt run through Colwood, Hamilton said the traffic problems get pushed out to neighbouring communities when drivers use smaller neighbourhood roads to try and surpass highway traffic.

BԪַTheyBԪַll go twice the distance dipsy-doodling just so they donBԪַt have to stop,BԪַ Hamilton said. BԪַIBԪַm not sure how many cars they beat at the end of the day but they think itBԪַs faster.BԪַ

READ MORE: Heavy traffic leads to slow commute from West Shore into Victoria

Hamilton said it wouldnBԪַt hurt for municipalities to have a larger, overarching plan for roads and access. However, she said when there are so many partners working together, it can get tricky. BԪַMunicipalities, at the end of the day, have rule over their own roads.BԪַ

Hamilton also said a big reason for traffic issues is the number of single-occupant vehicles on the road.

BԪַI donBԪַt know that weBԪַre going to get away from that, I donBԪַt think weBԪַre going to have families choosing to live in condos downtown,BԪַ Hamilton said. BԪַAnd yet we need to service downtown in a way that keeps traffic moving.BԪַ

SheBԪַs hoping that there will be continued interest throughout the region to collaborate on what solutions to traffic problems might look like.

shalu.mehta@goldstreamgazette.com


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